Hogwarts Letters
by Wippydip
Summary: My take on the days when certain characters get their Hogwart's letters, and their reactions. Marauders era at the moment but current characters coming!
1. Lily

**Lily**

Today was the day I've been waiting for all summer. And that isn't an exaggeration as Mum seemed to think when I told her when I was brushing my teeth.

I got up at about half eight and got dressed and brushed my hair and all that, then went down to the kitchen for breakfast. This must have been around ten past nine. There was a knock at the door. I ran to get it. I thought it was Sev, though why it would have been when he never comes here I don't know. I think he avoids my house because his isn't very nice. I think he feels awkward so mostly we meet in the playground or by the river. Anyway so I didn't want 'Tuney to get there before me, because they don't like each other very much.

So I opened the door all excited and standing on the mat was a very small man, about my height, which is pretty small, especially for a grown up, wearing blue robes.

"Hullo" I said, wondering who he was, although I had an inkling.

"Hello" He replied. "My name is Professor Flitwick and I'm looking for Mr and Mrs Evans and Lily. Is that you?"

"Yes that's me" I said "but I'll have to ask mum before I invite you in, because you're a stranger."

He looked sort of amused when I said that but said, "Go on then I'll wait out here"

"I'll be right back," I promised.

I shut the door and ran into the kitchen, pretty loopy because I'd had sugar puffs for breakfast and they always make me giddy.

"Mum, mum there's a man at the door and he wants to see you and dad and me and I think he's a wizard and he's come to ask me to go to Hogwarts like Sev said!" I said all this a bit quickly so mum didn't really get what I'd actually said, but she got that someone was at the door and told me to get Dad from upstairs. I didn't really want to go, I wanted to go and talk to the man outside but she gave me her stern look so I did as I was told.

When me and Dad got downstairs (he is so unbelievably slow) mum and Professor Flitwick were in the sitting room waiting for us. Professor Flitwick got up and introduced himself to Dad and they shook hands like men do, even though the professor only came up to my dad's middle.

"Well Mr and Mrs Evans I'm here to talk about Lily" He said. My heart sort of tightened when he said that. "As you may have noticed she has some very unusual talents"

My parents replied that yes they had noticed this, and my mum mentioned something along the lines of me not letting them not notice. I think this is a little unfair, it's not like I ask them to watch me fly off the swings, it's just so much fun! And Mum says she has to watch in case anything bad happens, not that it ever has.

So then Flitwick said "Well your daughter has these talents because she can do magic. She is a witch."

He looked at me and said "I know this may be a bit of a shock" but I said not really and told him about Sev.

He looked a bit surprised, which is pretty understandable, Sev said that there aren't very many magic people in Britain compared with muggles, so it's a bit of a coincidence we live so close!

Anyway he looked at my parents and said "Well that explains why you are taking it so well".

They looked at each other.

"Lily did tell us what this boy said, but we thought they just had active imaginations like other children, although it did explain a lot!" Said my Dad.

It was true I did tell them when Sev first told me, but they didn't believe me and told me he was making it up to impress me. I gave them my best 'Told you so' look. They just looked at each other again and smiled.

Then he explained a lot of stuff to my parents about money and equipment and stuff, but I wasn't really listening because Sev had told me all of it already. Then he gave me the letter. It was made of a really stiff, heavy type of paper my parents said was called parchment and Flitwick said it was what we wrote on at Hogwarts. Then he explained about platform 9 and ¾ and Diagon Alley, which again I already knew and said "I am looking forward to seeing you at Hogwarts miss Evans, maybe in my house, Ravenclaw." And thanked my parents and left.

I ran to the playground to show Sev. He got one too, by owl. His mum's pleased he said, but his Dad isn't so much. I get the feeling his Dad doesn't really like magic much.

I haven't seen 'Tuney all morning. I can't wait to tell her its all true and I'm going. She'll be so excited for me, even though we won't see each other as much. I'm going to Hogwarts!! Hurrah!!


	2. James

**James **

I was riding my broomstick in the garden this morning when I heard my mum calling me. I thought she was going to go on about not flying too high or the neighbours will see, so I pretended not to hear and carried on flying, around the apple tree, between the ropes of the swing, picking gooseberries off the gooseberry bushes. I'm getting pretty good.

"JAMES ORION BINGLEY POTTER I SWEAR TO MERLIN IF YOU'RE PILFERING ALL MY GOOSEBERRIES I WILL LOCK UP YOUR BROOMSTICK FOR A MONTH!" my mum screamed. It was so loud I almost fell of the broom in shock. I looked up guiltily.

"Come into the house right now" She said, but less loudly so I thought she couldn't be too angry. I hopped off the broom and followed her into the kitchen, trying my best to look repentant. Dad was in there too, holding an envelope and grinning.

"It's for you son." he said.

I took the heavy parchment and opened it, noting the wax seal.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin first class, Grand sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed, of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

Jane Horty

Deputy Headmistress

"Well?" asked my mother tentatively as I looked up.

"I got a place of course!" I said

My parents faces broke into smiles. They looked so proud. For some reason we couldn't stop smiling even though it wasn't much of a surprise.


	3. Sirius

**Sirius**

I ignored the gong that resonated up the stairs. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of running to breakfast the moment I was summoned. I heard Regulus run down the stairs. Of couse _he_ wouldn't be late.

After a few more minutes of denying my rumbling stomach I headed downstairs.

My mother looked up as I entered, but to my surprise she didn't say anything about my timing. Father didn't even acknowledge my existence. Not that I really expected him to.

"Sirius you have a place at Hogwarts" said my mother, after a few minutes of strained silence. "The letter came this morning."

"Oh."

She'd opened my letter? I'd been looking forward to doing that all summer. I suppose that's her punishment for me not being on time to breakfast. Or on second thoughts probably not. The old hag is just too nosy not to. My personal privacy obviously doesn't concern her.

"You will do us proud Sirius" said my father. It sounded more of a threat than encouragement. I didn't reply.

"Well done Sirius," said Regulus "I can't wait until I go, will you write and tell me what its like?" He sounded pathetically eager. But at least he's sincere.

"Yeah, fine." I replied shortly

"Every week?" He asked

"Um, well when I have time" I replied before my father cut in.

"You'll do no such thing, writing home every week, I won't have it. I need Gorwalda for business and I'm not buying _you_ an owl." Regulus looked like he was about to cry, the wet blanket. "And anyway it'll toughen you up not whingeing home every second."

The rest of breakfast passed in silence.


	4. Remus

**Remus**

An owl addressed to me flew in this morning when I was alone in the kitchen. It hadn't been full moon for a while so I was feeling good, until I saw the letter. I knew what it was. The letter telling me I couldn't go to Hogwarts.

With a sinking heart I opened it, thinking I may as well get it over with.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin first class, Grand sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed, of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr Lupin,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

Jane Horty

Deputy Headmistress

I stared at it in disbelief. Surely they wouldn't accept a _werewolf_. There was another sheet of paper after it.

_Mr Lupin,_

_When your father contacted the school some years ago, asking if there was any possibility of you being educated here, the then headmaster, Amando Dippet replied in the negative, on the grounds that the risks were to great to your fellow pupils. Since his retirement however, I have been made headmaster, and I believe that education should be offered freely to all, and a fair education system is the mark of a civilised society. _

_I have given some thought to the arrangements that should be made for the full moon, and after prolonged musings I have found a solution. There is a house a little way from the outskirts of Hogsmeade that has been abandoned for some years now. If we were to build a secret tunnel between there and the school grounds, you could leave the school every full moon and transform without any danger to your classmates._

_Your condition would naturally be known only to me and the matron, to prevent mindless bigots disrupting you education._

_I look forward to seeing you here._

_Yours sincerely,_

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

I ran upstairs to tell my parents. My father hugged me tightly and I knew, finally, that he does not hate me, but loves me and wished the world could too.

It still seems too wonderful to be true. To go to Hogwarts, be away from my parents, and be among normal children, maybe even have friends. I feel immensely grateful to Albus Dumbledore for giving me this opportunity. I have a chance.

* * *

A/N: Sorry that this is a bit rubbish and whimsical, I can't seem to make Remus sound like am 11 year old! Also if anyone can give me tips on how to write like Dumbledore without making him sound like a pompous arse, they would be much appreciated!


	5. Peter

**Peter**

"Peter, you have post" calls dad.

I remember this time last year when he said those words, but to my older sister, Mo. I remember the excitement as we all watched her open it, and the bitter, crushing disappointment in his eyes when she told us she hadn't got in. She had magic, but not nearly enough. Wendy, my younger sister hasn't shown any sign of any magic at all, so that leaves me. All my fathers' hopes and dreams for his children reside in me. And I really don't want him to look at me the way he did at her that day. Knowing she can't help it but resenting her all the same.

I walk down the stairs. Slowly. I enter the small dark kitchen. Slowly. And I take the letter from my father's outstretched, trembling hand, slowly.

"Go on son, open it" He says. I really wish he didn't sound so hopeful. I wish he didn't expect so much.

I open it, I can't really not, though I would if I could.

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft And Wizardry…

I give dad a small, shaky nod, and he sweeps me up into a bear hug, muttering how proud he is, and how I'll be fantastic and carry the Pettigrew mantle.

Glad as I am to be going, to not have disappointed him, already I wish that maybe I hadn't got in. The higher you climb, the further there is to fall.

* * *

A/N: Again rather shorter than I planned but it tells the story. If anyone could review it would be really nice! Just to tell me what I could do better or which character you'd like to see next...?


	6. Alice

A/N: This is one for Alice Longbottom, because we don't know much about her I thought I could have a bit of fun! I've done the missing the bed thing plenty of times so I thought i'd write it in!

* * *

**Alice**

Thwack. That was how I was woken this morning. Mum cleans the windows so well and then leaves them shut so this is quite common. I got up and inspected the window for damage, then opened it to allow a somewhat shaken tawny owl to enter. He stuck out his leg and I removed the scroll, then he soared out of the still open window.

I examined the envelope and noticed the seal. My heart started going thunkadunkadunk. I'd forgotten it was letter time! Annie and Lizzie would have theirs. I opened it quickly, hardly breathing, scanned the first page, let out a huge whoop and fell back onto where I thought my bed was but turned out to be just floor.

"OWWWW!" I shouted. Mum, who'd already heard the whoop appeared in my door saying

"Oh Ally you didn't fall out of bed _again _did you?"

"NO!!" I shouted, sitting up and rubbing my head. "I HAVE MY HOGWARTS LETTER!! I'M GOING TO HOGWARTS!!" I jumped up and ran downstairs, nearly knocking Annie over on the landing.

"DADDY, DAAAAADDDDYYY, I'm going to HOGWARTS!" I yelled when I swooped into the kitchen.

"Oh pumpkin, that's brilliant!" He beamed. "Lizzie, Annie and I are all going to Diagon Alley later, you'll have to come too! Lizzie's a prefect this year so you'll have someone to look after you"

"Not likely if you don't stop screaming" said Lizzie grimacing. "I'll leave you to the manticores!"

I stopped screaming immediately. I didn't want to be left for the manticores.

"Are there really manticores Lizzie, or are you making it up to scare me?" I asked

"There are! In the forbidden forest! You go in if you don't believe me!" She replied, trying to hide her smirk.

"I'm not stupid _Elizabeth_!" I cried. "It's called forbidden so we won't be allowed in. And it's not very prefectly of you to try and trick me into going in!"

"Enough girls!" Daddy intervened "Go and get ready for Diagon Alley. Honestly anyone would think you were both eight years old!" But he said it with a smile so we knew he was joking.

I stuck my tongue out at Lizzie as I left the room. She made a face back. I can't wait for Hogwarts!


	7. Severus

**Severus**

My alarm went off at seven this morning. Dad went to the pub last night, so I could have stayed in bed another few hours before he got up, but I didn't want to risk it. Sometimes he manages to get up early, even after a night of hard drinking.

I don't know how he does that, Lily says whenever her Dad has been out with his mates all night he stays in bed until mid-afternoon when her mum shouts at him.

Anyway when I got downstairs I saw an owl pecking at the grimy kitchen window. Good job I got down before Dad did, he'd have done mental.

I took the heavy letter from its leg and shooed it out. Then I turned it over and saw my name. My heart squeezed. I'd been expecting this for a long time.

_Dear Mr Snape,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

Jane Horty

Deputy Headmistress

A thrill ran through me as I thought of Hogwarts. All my daydreams were so close to coming true. Me and Lily, off to Hogwarts together. I didn't doubt she'd got a similar letter this morning.

My pleasant musings were interrupted by footsteps on the stairs. I swung round panicking, clutching the letter stupidly in front of me. Thankfully it was my mother. My heartbeat returned to normal, until I saw that her lip was bleeding slightly. The familiar anger kindled inside me.

"Mum…" I began,

"What's that you've got there?" She asked in a tone of forced normalcy. I didn't reply. She shot me a pleading look, begging me not to mention it, to pretend everything was fine. One day I'm not going to let it rest. When I've been to Hogwarts I'm going to come back and make her talk about the sham that is her marriage. I know how close she's been to leaving him, but she stays, because she says I need a father. Not one like him I don't. And not one that I hear having a shouting match with my mum every night until I stuff my head under the pillow and hum myself to sleep. And it's not me she stays for, days can pass without her speaking one word to the son who ruined her marriage, it's him.

For the past few years I've been wishing, hoping, that Dad will go back to how he was, before that day when he found out. When mum couldn't hide my magic anymore and she told him. He was a great Dad, we'd go to the park and play football, and he could never work out how I managed to score despite how useless I was. Mum never took much notice of me, so it was just him, me and him, father and son against the world. He stopped being my father that day.

I don't wish anymore. I've used up my hope. I'm just waiting for the day when I can come back, and jinx him till his skin crawls, till he realises how amazing what mum and I can do is. Then he'll know who's in charge in the world, and he'll beg for us to help him. Well there's no way I'm going to, and if I have anything to do with it my mum won't either.

But for today I did pretend everything was fine, although I hated every word coming out of my mouth.

"It's my Hogwarts letter" I replied, finally, "it's come"

"Oh" she said, and she couldn't stop her face falling a little, she's always wished I was a squib, strange trait in a pure-blood, but then mum's never really had the proper respect for magic.

"Well we'd better go down to London to get your things soon then, I'm sure we can pick up most things second hand."

Fifth hand more like, if my muggle clothes are anything to go by. At least there's a uniform at Hogwarts, so no-one will see my scruffy wierd clothes, but I don't think wizards would care anyway, they're not like muggles, they don't tease you for how you dress. Lily's proof of that. She doesn't care how I look, unlike her horrible sister.

"I'm going out." I said shortly to my mum. She nodded, but as I was walking out of the door she said

"We'll tell your dad tonight, alright?"

"Can't wait" I muttered, pretending not to hear the sigh behind me, as I walked as quickly as I could away from the house, to the playground.

Her familiar red hair shone out like a beacon as I went through the gate. She had her back to me, watching the ducks in the grimy pond.

"Hey up" I said to the back of her head. She turned and smiled.

"Hey up yourself!"

I grinned back as I saw the letter she was holding. Suddenly it didn't matter that dad was going to explode when I got back, and that this letter was going to cut the last thread between us. Because I was going to Hogwarts, with Lily.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the character suggestions, i've started some of the characters from Harry's year, we'll see how they go! I always wondered how Snape became the person he was and this sort of shows why I think he did the things he did.


	8. Ginny

**Ginny**

The phases of my childhood are marked by the departure of my brothers.

When I was one year old Bill went to Hogwarts. I don't remember much about it, just that that year got a lot more chaotic, Bill was mum's main help looking after the rest of us. I remember missing him tucking me in at night, and the authoritative way he would take control when we got out of hand. He was the brother I idolised.

When I was three Charlie got his letter. I remember crying so hard as he waved goodbye from the red carriage. He was the brother who loved me best, and always included me and took me out with him when he was going exploring. He taught me how to ride a broom when I was old enough, and I was constantly seeking his approval, and trying to make him laugh.

I can remember Percy trying to take charge of Fred and George that year, as Bill had said he was the one that was supposed to help mum keep order. That didn't work very well. The years that followed all blur into one, the only clear memory is of Percy running down the stairs sobbing in terror as Fred and George put a pillowcase over mum's magic mop and told him it was a ghost.

After three years of attempting to be Bill's replacement during term time, Percy finally managed to escape the twin's taunts and followed in the footsteps of his heroes to Hogwarts. I didn't want to look like a sissy, running after the train, because Fred and George were pretending not to care that Percy was leaving, so I pretended not to either. I know that hurt him a lot more than he let on. Yet watching him leave, I longed to shout out, and beg him not to. Percy always protected me from the brunt of Fred and Georges jokes, when I was young and naïve enough to trust them. He was the one I went to when I was scared, because I knew he would protect me from anything. He was the one who took the time to teach me to read.

With Percy gone, I grew more independent, more daring. Fred and George had lost their main source of entertainment so my sixth and seventh years were consequently ones of following Fred and George in one crazy scheme after another, I loved those years, Fred and George made everything fun, and if Ron and I were sometimes on the retrieving end of their crueller pranks, it was all made up for by hours of struggling to breathe from laughing so much after watching the twins pelting any muggles who happened to wander near the house with an assortment of mum's soft fruit.

I hated my eighth birthday. That was when Fred and George got their Hogwarts Letters. And as I ran after the train, tears blurring my eyes, I mourned the loss of the long days of our foursome, the Weasley quartet, youngest of the seven, united in laughter. The ones that would go out of their way to make me smile, and always managed to succeed had gone.

I expected the term times to be dreary and filled with boredom, but to my pleasant surprise they weren't. True the days were less eventful, and there was less chaos and fewer adrenaline filled afternoons of daring and misbehaviour, but it was a year of friendship and imagination. Ron and I would play for hours on end, inventing incredible stories and worlds, never tiring of each other's company. We would spend whole days in the orchard playing on our brooms and at night we would sneak into each others rooms to whisper secrets and giggle quietly way past our bedtimes. And we'd beg mum to read us the letters Hogwarts sent about Fred and George, they were always hilarious. Missing them brought us closer together.

That summer everyone was home. Bill was back from Egypt on his two month leave, Charlie had just finished Hogwarts and was at home for a few months until he could start his new job in Romania, and Percy, Fred and George were all back for the holiday, Percy having got the highest marks in his year in the end of year exams, and Fred and George having been the youngest beaters on any of the house quidditch teams. I didn't think that summer would end, it was almost magical, Fred and George were even getting on with Percy. The letters came. Percy got prefect, and Ron got his place. Still there was loads of summer left, and it was golden, and hot, and I had a wonderful birthday with everyone there, laughing and joking. Bill left for Egypt the following day, and a few days later Charlie left for Romania. To my ten year old self it felt like he was abandoning me for dragons. I didn't forgive him for about six months.

Then it was September the first, we went to platform 9 and ¾. Ron didn't take any notice of me, he was too excited about leaving. Fred and George didn't either, they were blathering about seeing Harry Potter. I asked mum if I could go on the train to see him, but I was really planning on hiding and stowing away to Hogwarts with Ron. She wouldn't let me though. And as the train started to pull out of the station I ran after it, watching my brothers faces get further away, and indistinct through my tears and it felt like my heart was breaking, as for the seventh time I watched one of the people I loved the most leave. But this time it wasn't the same, this time I didn't have Ron to comfort me. The brother I trusted most had gone. I've never felt so lonely as when I stood at the very end of that platform watching my best friend and the brother I trusted the most be borne out of sight.

Last year was dull, dreary, lonely and sad. Mum tried to cheer me up and we spent lots of time together, but it wasn't the same. I routinely broke into the broomshed and flew as far from the house as I dared, scaring mum half to death. I lived for the holidays, and spent all my time practising tricks to show to the twins, exploring to find things to show to Ron. And finally, _finally_ the summer came, and with it, the return of my brothers. But I'm not Ron's best friend any longer, Harry Potter is, and I have spent this summer listening with amazement to his stories of Hogwarts and Harry, but without the tinge of resentment that usually accompanies tales of school, because I know I'll soon be a part of them.

Today has been the best of my life. Harry Potter was there at breakfast. Ron, Fred and George flew dad's car to get him last night. They didn't ask me to come, even though I was the one who told them about it, but that's ok, I don't need to follow them anymore, this year has taught me to lead myself. I'm my own best friend now. Except for some reason, seeing Harry, the only place I lead myself was my room. I haven't quite worked out why yet. Dad brought my letter up too. I didn't know what it would mean to me, but after reading it, and savouring every word, I've realised. It stands for freedom, for opportunity but mostly for companionship.

After a decade of waiting, and watching, I will never again wave goodbye to a train, wishing I were on it. Now I _will_ be on that train, and my life's passage will be marked by _my_ terms, on _my_ triumphs. I will be there, following Bill and Percy, with Ron, Fred, George, Percy and Harry. My life will finally have begun.

* * *

A/N: Well that's a lot longer than I thought it would be!I can't believe I did it all in one afternoon, that's probably why it's a little rambling. Let me know what you think and sorry for the wait. I'm revising for my A-levels at the mo, so it'll probably be another month or so before a new chapter appears.


	9. Neville

**Neville**

I made my Gran proud today. For the first time I can remember she said she was proud of me.

She also said I "mustn't let her down" and I must "strive to achieve in honour of my parents" but I prefer not to concentrate on those parts. They're a bit too scary.

Anyway Gran and Great Uncle Algie and Great Aunt Enid are all proud because I got my Hogwarts letter. I got into Hogwarts. This should be no big surprise, every Longbottom in living memory has gone to Hogwarts, but I know they all thought I might be the first not to. The first squib.

I don't know if I'd have minded that. Gran would have been disappointed, but it's only a matter of time before she sees how rubbish at magic I am anyway. And my parents would never know.

Great Uncle Algie came round after Gran sent him an owl with the news. He said he'd bring me a present in congratulation.

"Well done my lad" he boomed in that hearty Lancashire way of his, as he plonked a toad in front of me. I stared at it for a moment before realising this was my present. I couldn't help my face falling a little. Toads aren't the coolest of pets.

Great Uncle Algie seemed to guess what I was thinking.

"I had a toad when I went to Hogwarts and all my friends loved him" he said, looking rather hurt. Gran glared at me.

"No, no I love it!" I said, trying desperately to remedy the situation. "I'll call him Trevor"

This is in honour of the milkman who delivers to the holiday cottage Great Uncle Algie owns in the Pennines. When I was little we'd go every Easter and I was obsessed with the milkman. Apparently every morning I'd get up super early to see him and have a chat, and I'd run after his van shouting his name as he left. I wanted to be a milkman until I was about nine because of him. No wonder Gran despairs of me at times.

So anyway this seemed to work as Great Uncle Algie cracked a huge smile and turned to his wife.

"Told you the boy would like it Enid" he said, "You're Aunt thought we should have got you a gobstone set or some nonsense."

Gobstones. Because they would have been _so _much better, really why can't I have relations who take me to The Weird Sisters concerts and buy me broomsticks? Actually on second thoughts I don't think I'd like a broom. I can't see myself as much of a flier. Ever since Uncle Algie dropped me out of a window when I was eight I've been a bit funny about heights. Yet another one of my short comings according to Gran. It's alright for her, she's not scared of anything. And there's no way I'm cool enough for a rock concert. No doubt I'd get kicked out for being too much of a wuss to crowd surf or whatever goes on.

Maybe I'm better off with the toad.


	10. Ron

**Ron**

Bill was head boy.

Charlie was Gryffindor quidditch captain.

Percy is a prefect.

Fred and George are the biggest pranksters Hogwarts has seen for generations.

And then there's me. What am I going to be?

I got my letter today. I went down to the kitchen for breakfast this morning and there it was, at the bottom of the pile with Percy, Fred and George's. I remember when Bill got his. It was such a big deal, mum cooked a special dinner and we had a party to celebrate. When I'd read my letter and told mum I was going she just said, in her typical hurried manner:

"Oh that's good dear. Give me your letter so I can get your things at Diagon Alley. I'm afraid we can't afford to get you a new wand, but you can have Charlie's old one. And I'm sure Percy would give you Scabbers, Arthur and I said we'd get him an owl for becoming a prefect. Isn't it wonderful, he could be head boy in a few years, the second in the family!"

When Bill got _his_ letter _he_ didn't get a second hand wand, or his brother's old rat. A rat! I mean really, why I can't have an owl, or a cat I don't know. Well actually I do; because Mum and Dad would have to starve for a month to afford it. But a rat… I'd even take one of the gnomes rather than Scabbers!

Dad was chuffed though. He grinned at me and ruffled my hair, said I'd be the next great Gryffindor. That's another thing; what if I'm not in Gryffindor? All the others have been, but maybe it would be a good thing if I wasn't; I would certainly be different, although if I were in Slytherin I think dad would disown me. And there's no way I'm clever enough to be in Ravenclaw, and Fred and George will never let me live it down if I'm in Hufflepuff… Looks like I'd better be in Gryffindor then.

And I'm dreading the sorting. Fred and George said it's a test, then Fred muttered something ominous about fighting a troll, but I'm not gullible enough to fall for that. Well, sort of. It couldn't be true could it? No-one's ever told me how you get sorted, only that it happens in front of the entire school. Well whatever it is, I know it'll be deathly embarrassing when I fail horribly.

I'd been looking forward to going so much, but now, thinking about it, there's so much that is bound to be a disappointment, to me and to people's expectations of me. And so much that could go wrong. I mean what if none of the others like me? I've never really had friends outside my family, never really needed any, and now I don't know how to get one.

I can just see it; I'll turn up at Hogwarts in my hand-me-down uniform, with a tatty old wand, a flipping rat, and all these expectations of me. They'll take one look at me and laugh, and the others kids from rich old pureblood families will look down on me, and all my teachers will see my red hair and freckles and assume I'll be great like the others, then after a few days, a few weeks they'll realise that I'm not. I'm ordinary, and even a bit below average.

I just wish I could be special, stand out, make them all proud. But there's nothing left to do, they've done it all already. Maybe if I foil a plot by an evil megalomaniac to rule the world… Yeah right.

Oh, I'm being stupid. This is what I've wanted for ages, since Bill left. Focus on the good things Ron: Freedom from the twins, learning magic, meeting new people, watching quidditch games, going to Hogsmeade (although not for a few years yet), no nagging mother, learning to fly properly, seeing the famous giant squid, all the ghosts Fred's been telling me about… Yeah it'll be great, I'm not worried, it'll be fine. Everything's going to be fine. There's nothing to worry about, it'll be fine. It'll be fine. It'll be fine. It'll be fine.

Yep. Totally fine.

Oh Merlin.

* * *

A/N: Long time no dig, sorry about that. I know someone asked for Hermione, but I'm finding her really hard to do for some reason, so I thought I'd write Ron instead until I get a brainwave or something. Thanks for reading.


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